We recap five of the most read articles on ArchitectureAndDesign.com.au from the past week:

In Newcastle, work has begun on what’s set to become the city’s tallest building (pictured right). 

Designed by Snell Architects, the 18-storey tower will eventually stand 57-metres tall. The name of the $100 million multi-use development is ‘Icon Central’. Read more here.

 The Northern Territory chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects named the winners in their Awards program for 2014. Troppo Architects cleaned up this year. They won the region’s top award for Strohmayr House. Other winners included Mode Design and Dunn & Hillam Architects, who each took home one award and one commendation. Read more here.

Strohmayr House, Troppo Architects. Image © Fiona Morrison

Top 5 news video

A tower made out of mushroom-bricks opened at MoMA PS1 in New York. New York architects ‘The Living’ designed the tower as part of the museum of modern art’s Young Architects Program. The tower is reportedly the world’s first large scale structure made out of mushroom material. Read more here.

Image source: The Living

A Cronulla design competition is now open in Sydney. Designers have been invited to generate ideas to revitalise the suburb’s centre including its famous pedestrian plaza, which was last designed by Philip Cox in the late 80s. Read more here.

A striking outback gallery won Project of the Yeat at the 2014 Master Builders Excellence in Building Awards. Sited in outback NSW, Garangula Gallery (pictured below) was designed by Fender Katsalidis Mirams architects (FKM) and built by Manteena Constructions and houses an extensive collection of Aboriginal art. Read more here.